KARL SANDERS On NILE Tour Shirts: 'Consumers Deserve No Less'

Out for the second time in North America since last summer's Ozzfest to support their new album, "Ithyphallic", NILE mainman/guitarist Karl Sanders checks in on the surprise that awaits fans during the upcoming headlining tour with UNEXPECT, SUICIDE SILENCE, and THE FACELESS:

"We never like letting our fans down, and that explains the choices they'll have buying our merch on tour. 'Anoint My Phallus' is written in big block letters on the backs of our shirts, a lyric taken from the album's title track. Consumers deserve no less."

In an interview with Metal Maniacs magazine, Sanders explained the choice behind the title for their fifth studio album: "'Ithyphallic' refers to the ancient practice of portraying statues of gods with huge, mythically-proportioned erections. It's a sign of strength and fertility. When we were just a demo band, everyone had to have their own little thing that made your band different from the others. So we said, 'Let's call this brutal, ithyphallic metal,' and it just stuck."

"We're ready to go back on the road and we're grateful for all the airplay our video's ['Papyrus Containing The Spell To Preserve Its Possessor Against Attacks From He Who Is In The Water'] been receiving on 'Headbanger's Ball'. It proves we picked the right song," adds Sanders. "We're all for being taken seriously as a band."

Selling 4,600 copies of "Ithyphallic" during the first week of release and landing on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart at #162 in July, 2007 would be enough of an achievement for some people, but being taken seriously as a musician is something Sanders takes to heart. Thanks to the monumental creativity he's displayed on guitar, he's been ranked #4 in Decibel magazine's "Top 20 Death Metal Guitarists of All Time" and has been featured (alongside his bandmate Dallas Toler-Wade) in Guitar World's "Betcha Can't Play This" column.

Eager to share his technique, warm-up routines, and "chops-building" exercises, Sanders will be offering guitar lessons for $100 an hour to intermediate and advanced guitarists in the cities that coincide with this road tour. To ensure that everyone gets enough personal attention for a quality learning experience, sessions will be limited to a maximum of four students, who will be invited to attend the band's soundcheck and placed on the guest list for their regional show. Spaces are first-come, first-served basis. Interested parties should e-mail [email protected].